Footings for shipping container

[NUTTSGT]

If I was going to place one, I wouldn't want to worry about it moving or a chance that it would move.

$100 of Quikrete, sonotubes and a post hole digger would suit me just fine.

 

[Gunfixr]

Im sure this has been discussed elsewhere, but I know these sweat and such in swing temps...

is there a fast or affordable way to insulated them? If you are going thru the trouble to build a roof overhead, etc...

I have a 20 footer out back next to the garage. In 5 yrs, i've yet to notice any sweating problems, they are vented with storm proof vents. For the first 2 1/2 yrs, it was full of antique furniture and other household goods, they were fine.

I set it parallel to the garage, exactly 20 ft away. Eventually, I plan to put up a pole barn (just a roof on poles, open) from the garage, across over the container, and about 10 ft past the container. We painted the whole thing gray, the top white, but i'm thinking of painting the front and sides to match the garage. It still gets hot in the summer, the roof over it should reduce that significantly.

For setting, I used the 4" thick solid cinder blocks at each corner, with pieces of 5/4 treated decking as shims and spacers. It's settled some, I need to re-adjust it. There's about 6" or 7" of air space underneath.
Don't forget, these things have wood floors in them. If you get too much moisture underneath, it will rot out from underneath over time, or will bring termites to it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Your local soil conditions will help determine the best answer to your question.

Yep ! Just watched a video of a guy who put his container on 4 solid concrete block. The frost left the ground and the blocks on all 4 corner broke !

 

[kb0thn]

There are no load bearing points on a 40' shipping container other than the corners. Putting any more than four piers has no purpose.

On my containers I do a 12" pier to 6" below frost line. They don't move.

If you have insufficient footing the container will twist and the doors won't open and close right or at all.

 

[BruceMc]

I have a 20 footer out back next to the garage. In 5 yrs, i've yet to notice any sweating problems, they are vented with storm proof vents.

In snow country, usually in the spring, the roof will sweat when there is snow pack on top. The snow keeps the metal below freezing and you get condensation when that cold metal meets warmer, moister air.

 

[Gunfixr]

In snow country, usually in the spring, the roof will sweat when there is snow pack on top. The snow keeps the metal below freezing and you get condensation when that cold metal meets warmer, moister air.

We get snow only occasionally here.
Although, the past few years, we've gotten more that the 30-35yrs.

 

[AZ Pete]

we had about a dozen at work and set each on a 6" to 8" thick gravel pad. The washed gravel was 2"-. I don't recall any rodents burrowing in the gravel we used. We had some of the containers fitted with roll up doors and man doors on the sides, depending on what was stored in them.

 

[rburke65]

Well....have you got the container yet?

 

[toyotadriver]

Well....have you got the container yet?

No. Been working on another construction project on the same shop building but I injured myself so everything is being delayed.

 

[vtcat]

On YouTube they spray foamed the ceiling and one foot down the sides to stop the sweating.
Any other ideas?

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I've seen Intermodal containers used for residences down in the islands (carib), they sit on Sonotubes that are about 16"-18" in diameter. I'll assume that they hit bedrock/coral rather quickly, so depth is probably not too deep but...
There are hurricanes on a regular basis, so I'm sure they drill into it a bit.

There's an embedded steel structure with a flat plate at the top- the containers get welded to these plates. Height is usually just a foot or less- keeps wind from getting under and lifting.

 

[Bretny]

Well if you haven't got a container yet you may want to wait. Prices have went up $1k for a 20ft in my area.

I was looking at getting one for a piece of property I own. The only local place that has them (so I can see before I buy) cant keep used 20 or 40ft containers in stock.

 

[toyotadriver]

I think I may build a storage building instead once material prices come down. It’ll look better at my place than a shipping container. I’ve been going back and forth on what to do and currently leaning toward building the shed I need to match my shop building.